Molded pulp carton



J. w. cox

MOLDED PULP CARTON Aug. 3, 1948.

Filed Sept. 20, 1943 INVENTOR. J/zra WCOJE,

Patented Aug. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I 2,446,284 MOLDED PULP CARTON John W. Cox, Chicago, IiL, asslgnor, by mcsne assignments, to Shellmar Products Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 20, 1943, Serial No. 503,028

1 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in the construction of cellular molded pulp cartons, particularly egg cartons, and resides in an improvement whereby a novel self-locking closure is provided by interengaging cover members.

without involving provision of special locking members as such.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a carton of the molded paper type having an inner or single row cover and an outer or double row cover, hinged respectively to opposite boundary walls of a receptacle which is formed with two or more rows of egg cells, the inner cover adapted to house or close a longitudinal row of cells and lending vertical support to the outer cover which houses or covers the remaining row or rows of cells and interlockingly engages the inner cover in such fashion as to hold the covers against swinging open, thus to retain and give full protection to the contained eggs.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a molded paper pulp carton that can be packed with proper fit in standard egg cases of thirty dozen capacity, which will accommodate large size eggs, and which is adaptable to machine handling.

Other objects of the invention will be evident upon a consideration of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

i Fig. i is a top plan view illustrating a molded pulp carton embodying the present invention with the covers in fully open positions;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the carton shown in Fig. i with the covers in fully closed positions;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic end view, partly in section, showing the inner cover in closed position and the outer cover swung toward closed "position, and serving to illustrate how the covers are adapted to interengage to hold themselves closed; and

Fig. i is a transverse elevational view taken through a closed carton such as that shown in Fig. 2, on approximately the line 6-45 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. i there is shown a carton such as may be molded of paper pulp to provide a receptacle designated generally by reference numeral to, same being compartmented to afford a two-bysiz arrangement of cells of octagonal shape. These cells are in part formed by a plurality oi centrally located upstanding separator or support members ll. Longitudinal partition elements l2 extend between adiacent members ii, and transverse partition elements it extend between the members II and the front and rear side walls 0! the receptacle. The side walls of the receptacle which constitute also the outer or boundary wall: of the cells, are formed of spaced outermostwall sections it connected by interposed pairs of convergent diagonal wall sections l5 which merge into the elements 13. The upstanding separator elements it connectedby the elements l2 and it together with the side boundary wall sections it and i5 and similar series of wall sections at the ends of the receptacle and along its longitudinal medial portion provide two longitudinal rows of egg-receiving compartments in the receptacle ill.

The carton is provided with an inner cover it and an outer cover H. The inner cover has upwardly and inwardly inclined plane inner and outer side walls l8 and it connected by a top panel to, and the outer cover has similarly inclined inner and outer side walls l9 and i9 conneoted by a plane top panel. The side walls and top panel of each cover are connected by suitably contoured end walls adapted to close upon corresponding end walls of the receptacle. Each cover is hinged along the bottom edge of its outer side wall to the upper edge of a receptacle side wall as indicated by therespective dotted lines 26 and 2d. The width of the inner cover is such as to span only a portion of the width of the receptacle, while the width of the outer cover is suficient to span the entire width of the receptacle, including the inner cover it when the latter is in its closed.- position. As shown in. Fig. 4, when the inner cover is in closed position, it covers the adjacent row of egg-receiving compartments of the receptacle to house eggs therein, and is supported in this position by the seating of its inner side wall it upon the upstanding support members it as well as upon abutment ledges it at the ends of *he receptacle. These supports it and abutments 2i are all entirely within the outer confines or boundary wall surfaces of the receptacle.

When in closed position the outer cover ll seats upon the closed inner cover it in such mannor that engagement of the two covers has a selflocking efiect. By reference toFig. 3, it will be seen that if the distance A is less than the radial distance "B," and the distance C is approximately the same as B," the outer cover member must be forced in order to move its inner side wall it into closed position past the outer upper corner of the closed inner cover memberit. This is possible because the material has more or less resilient quality. Accordingly, the

corner projections 23 which, when the cover is inclosed position,,will rest upon and register withthe projections 22.

against crushing pressures, and, moreover, it'may be fastened in closed position, either by'a'suitable By means of this arrange-' ment the outer cover receives. effectivesupport 2. A cellular carton as specified in claim 1 and wherein the inner and outer covers have interengageabie portions which have interfltting engagement when the covers are in closed positions to retain the outer cover against swinging.

3. A cellular carton as specified in claim 1 and wherein the outer cover has seating support on the inner-cover when they are in closed positions, and said covers have interengageable portions which have inter-fitting engagement when the covers are in closed positions to retain the outer cover against swinging relative to the inner cover.

4. A cellular carton as specified in claim 1 and wherein each cover has a pair or side walls connected by and extending in converging relationadhesive applied to one or both the-contacting faces of the extensions 22 and projections 23, or by any other suitable means, such as, for example,

staples or clips seated in or engaged with those elements.

In addition to the self-locking feature of the interfitting cover sections, this type of carton has certain other advantages. For example, there is provided an unbroken top surface for printing as well as, a cover support along the center or other intermediate portion of th carton. The structure as a whole has a desirable overall still"- ness, which is contributed in large measure by the provision of the dished cover members hinged along the margins of the respective longitudinal boundary walls and having side walls extending inwardly and upwardly in angular relationship to the receptacle walls. In addition, both covers can readily be printed to enhance the already attractive appearance of such a carton. Furthermore, the carton lends itself touse with automatic equipment for closing and printing, and inasmuch as it has no portions projecting or overhanging beyond the outermost cell boundary walls, the cartons may be placed side by side in the egg cases without loss of space, and thus twoby-slx cartons of this construction may be used in standard egg cases of thirty-dozen capacity to take a full complement of eggs of the largest grade size.

It will be recognized that this interlocking cover construction may be employed in cartons having more than two rows of compartments, and that many changes may; be made in the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cellular carton molded to provide a generally rectangular receptacle having side walls and end walls all connected by a bottom, the area within the receptacle being apportioned off into a plurality of collaterally disposed rows of compartments and including support members extending upwardly from the bottom between some the compartments, a trough-like inner cover hinged along the upper margin of one of the side walls and of transverse width less than the overall receptacle width, said cover beingswingable over the receptacle into covering relationship with a row of the compartments and having means engaging some of the support members between the receptacle side walls for "support, and a trough-like outer cover of width substantially greater than the inner cover width hinged along the upper margin of the opposite side wall and swingable over the receptacle into covering relationship with the same and the closed inner cover.

.ship to a top panel and each cover is hinged at the bottom of one of its side walls to the associated side wall of the receptacle in relationship such that the hinged side walls of the covers extend-upwardly and inwardly from their hinge lines when the covers are in closed positions.

' 5. A cellular carton as specified in claim 1 and wherein each cover has a pair of side walls connected by and extending in converging relationship to a top panel and each cover is hinged at the bottom-of one of its side walls to the associated side wall of the receptacle in relationship such that the hinged side walls of the covers extend upwardly and inwardly irom their hinge lines when the covers are in closed positions, and the free side wall of the outer cover is arranged to engage retentively the hinged side wall of the inner cover.

6. A cellular carton as specified in claim 1 and wherein each cover has a pair of side walls connected by and extending in converging relationship to a. top panel and each cover is hinged at the bottom of one of its side walls to the associated side wall of the receptacle in relationship such that the hinged side walls of-the covers extend upwardly and inwardly from their hinge lines when the covers are in closed positions, and the radius length from the hinge of the outer cover to a mid portion of its free side wall is less than the distance from said hinge to the upper end of the hinged side wall of the closed inner cover.

'7. A cellular carton comprising a receptacle having pairs of side and end walls connected by a bottom, an inner member having an upwardly extending wall hinged to one of the receptacle side walls and swingable inwardly of the carton, said member having integral, inwardly extending means engageable with said receptacle substantially inwardly of the side wall of said receptacle to which it is hinged, in the direction toward the other receptacle side wall, to brace the member and prevent inward swinging of said inner member beyond a predetermined position relative .to said receptacle, and an outer cover member having side walls, one of which is hinged to said other of the receptacle side walls and swingable inwardly of the carton to bring said outer cover member into covering relation to the receptacle and inner member, the other side wall of said outer member frictionally and retentively engaging the upwardly extending wall of said inner member in said predetermined, braced position of the latter.

8. A cellular carton comprising a receptacle having pairs of side and end walls connected by a bottom, an inner member having an upwardly extending wall hinged to one of the receptacle side walls and swingable inwardly of the carton, said member having integral, inwardly extending #15 means engageable with said receptacle substantially inwardly of the side wall of said receptacle to which it is hinged, in the direction toward the other receptacle side wall, to brace the member and prevent inward swinging of said inner member beyond a predetermined'position relative to said receptacle, and an outer cover member having side walls, one of which is hinged to said other of the receptacle side walls and swingable inwardly of the carton to bring said outer cover member into covering relation to the receptacle and inner member, the other side wall of said outer member frictionally and retentively engaging the upwardly extending wall of said inner member in said predetermined, braced position of the latter, the radius length from the hinge of the outer cover to a mid point on its opposite side wall, with reference to the vertical dimension of the latter, being less than the distance from said last named hinge to the upper end of the hinged inner member wall.

9. A cellular carton comprising a receptacle having pairs of Side and end walls connected by a bottom, an inner member having an upwardly extending wall hinged to one of the receptacle side walls and swingable inwardly of the carton, said member having integral, inwardly extending means engageable with said receptacle substantially inwardly or the side wall of said receptacle to which it is hinged, in the direction toward the other receptacle side wall, to brace the member and prevent inward swinging of said inner member beyond a predetermined position relative to said receptacle, and an outer cover member having side walls, one of which is hinged to said other of the receptacle side walls and swingable inwardly oi the carton to bring said outer cover member into covering relation to the receptacle and inner member, said inner and outer members extending substantially of the length of the carton in adjacent relation to one another to brace and substantially strengthen the carton at that point.

JOHN W. COX.

REFERENCES CITED -The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 95,291 Sherman Apr. 16, 1935 1,975,128 Sherman Oct. 2, 1934 1,975,129 Sherman Oct. 2, 1934 2,088,603 Kronenberger Aug. 3, 1937 2,093,280 Koppelman Sept. 14, 1937 2,160,893 Newsom June 6, 1939 

